Offshore wind energy is rapidly expanding — but whose voices get heard in the process? DRIFT’s new three-part audio series Whoosh, part of the EU-funded JustWind4All project, zooms in on exactly that question. Produced by Wouter Mulders and Stéphanie van der Raad, Whoosh listens to perspectives often overlooked in the wind transition conversation, asking what justice sounds like when it comes to offshore wind energy.
In the first episode, the duo travels to the UK’s Kent coast, visiting Herne Bay — a town with offshore wind turbines in clear view. There, they speak with kitesurfer and wind energy enthusiast Morgan McNamara and hear community voices weighing up the benefits and challenges of living alongside renewable infrastructure. They also connect with Stanislas d’Herbemont from the Pooled Fund on International Energy, who reflects on the importance of embedding justice and social dimensions into energy projects across Europe, arguing it’s not a barrier but a strength.
The second episode shifts focus to the ecosystems that share the seas and skies with wind farms. Samuel Wrobel from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds shares how turbine developments are reshaping marine habitats and impacting seabird populations — with nearly half of the region’s species now red-listed. Cristina Madrid López from the University of Barcelona offers a systems perspective, mapping the entire lifecycle of a wind turbine and calling for broader indicators that go beyond mere energy output to capture social and ecological consequences.
In the final episode, Wouter and Stéphanie return to the UK coast, this time to Pegwell Bay. They meet Louis Grover from the Kent Wildlife Trust and Nina Jones, local campaigner against certain offshore developments. Together, they explore what happens when clean energy ambitions collide with nature conservation, and discuss grassroots efforts like the Rethink Sealink campaign. In a bold sonic twist, this episode also experiments with the power of sound to unsettle and invite reflection — reminding listeners of the value of tuning into underrepresented perspectives in transitions.
Whoosh is part of DRIFT’s free online training module Leadership in Transitions, but the series stands strong on its own. Curious? Listen via the DRIFT Transitions Podcast or find out more at justwind4all.eu.
Special thanks to all speakers, contributors and the JustWind4All project team for making this possible.
